Regulars & Visitors

Humuhumu’s description

The Mai-Kai is perhaps the last of the grand Polynesian palaces still operating from when tiki was at its peak in the late '50s and early '60s. That the Mai-Kai not only still exists today, but is vibrant and thriving, is something we should all be very grateful for—but not take for granted.

The Mai-Kai was opened in 1956 by two brothers from Chicago, Bob and Jack Thornton, in an age when roadside attractions were springing up all over Florida; eventually Bob took over the business. Like many of these attractions, the Mai-Kai grew over time to be quite a spectacle—it includes eight dining rooms, a bar that on its own would stand as perhaps the best tiki bar in the world, tropical gardens with walking paths and waterfalls, a stage in the center to showcase the Polynesian floor show, and of course, a gift shop.

Today, experiencing the Mai-Kai is much as it was in the '60s. The experience begins as you listen to the wooden slat bridge you drive over to reach the porte cochere and valets. As you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by an elegant maitre'd. Be sure to bring some singles when you visit the restroom, as the bathroom has attendants on hand to assist you. The Mai-Kai's manager is Kern Mattei, who took over the position from his father.

When you're drinking at the Mai-Kai, you're drinking tiki history. The bar program here was created by legendary bartender Mariano Licudine, who came from the Don the Beachcomber

Bob and Jack have passed away, and the restaurant is now run by Bob's wife Mirielle. Bob met Mirielle when she joined the Mai-Kai as a Tahitian dancer, and still today she runs the Mai-Kai's Polynesian revue. As new dances are added to the show, Mirielle first visits the island where the dance originates to ensure it will be performed properly and will be blessed by its people. All dining rooms overlook the popular show, and dinner reservations are recommended.

The enchanting nature of the female form is something that is celebrated throughout Polynesian pop, but perhaps nowhere quite so extensively as the Mai-Kai. The beautiful waitresses to this day are attired in bikini tops and wraparound sarongs. For many years, a Mai-Kai calendar was offered featuring the many beautiful women of the Mai-Kai. This worship reaches its zenith with the Mystery Drink, delivered by the Mystery Girl, an experience that must be witnessed to be fully appreciated, so I will not describe it here, but rather urge you to visit the Mai-Kai yourself and order one.

In February 2015, the Mai-Kai was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Comments

I almost cry when writing about the MaiKai. It is a Polynesian heaven on earth. The food, the décor, the service, the selection is the best I've ever seen. The complimentary sushi bar in the Molokai Lounge every Wednesday will blow your mind. Go! Plan your next vacation around this gem! Go! Now! Go!

The Mai-Kai should be considered Mecca for tikiphiles and anyone interested in polynesian pop history. It is a one of a kind establishment that will likely not be replicated anytime soon. It is the total package with fabulous decor, an incredible drink selection that has not disappointed me yet and phenomenal service reminiscent of days gone by. On top of all that, the polynesian revue is a world class, completely authentic experience that you cannot find elsewhere on the mainland. I will cherish the times I've spent there and look forward to returning again soon!

Comments about Mai-Kai

I almost cry when writing about the MaiKai. It is a Polynesian heaven on earth. The food, the décor, the service, the selection is the best I've ever seen. The complimentary sushi bar in the Molokai Lounge every Wednesday will blow your mind. Go! Plan your next vacation around this gem! Go! Now! Go!

The Mai-Kai should be considered Mecca for tikiphiles and anyone interested in polynesian pop history. It is a one of a kind establishment that will likely not be replicated anytime soon. It is the total package with fabulous decor, an incredible drink selection that has not disappointed me yet and phenomenal service reminiscent of days gone by. On top of all that, the polynesian revue is a world class, completely authentic experience that you cannot find elsewhere on the mainland. I will cherish the times I've spent there and look forward to returning again soon!

I visited The Mai Kai last August. It was my first tiki bar!! I was only able to stay for a little while. We sat in the Molokai Lounge and had Mai Tai's and some apps. Both were fantastic. There was a show going on while we were there but we didn't see any of it other than when I walked around to the outdoor area. I loved this place! I'm hoping I get to visit again soon and spend much more time there.

I'd heard of the Mai-Kai before, and it was as good as the hype. The detail was off the charts, the staff was warm and welcoming, the food was delicious, and the drinks were ... well, outtasight. I was in town in business, and I managed to spend four hours there! Can't wait to go back!

Menu had a wide selection, and the food was decent, but overall a disappointing experience.
The interior needs a lot of TLC to make this feel like a well run establishment. The state of disrepair in the decor and lighting was disheartening. Such a classic restaurant, and it isn't being maintained well.
Then when it came time to ordering, the service was also disappointing. There was only two of us, we both asked for drinks and apps, and only one of our drinks made it to the table. It wasn't until midway through the entree that the other drink came out. We were hesitant about ordering desert, because we wanted to leave before the show started, but it took 20 minutes for the desert to come out, and the server said she had to add the show to our check since we were there when it started.
I might give it another chance, but I would need to hear news of new management before I go again.

No question this is the Tiki-est place on earth, and you must visit regardless if you ever have the chance. That being said, the food and cocktails are lacking. Happy hour the drinks are half price but I tasted half the alcohol. I was not going there to get smashed but there was little in the way of flavor, much less depth. The show is fantastic, this is one reason alone to come even if you do not eat or drink however, you must buy one entree per person to see the show. The portions were the size of appetizers. Good thing we loaded up on the half price appetizers at the bar first. Again, a must visit, just do not expect much in the way of killer cocktails or astounding food. Its a busy place and it showed in the attitude of the staff. While they were all very nice, polite and patient, you can tell they had one job and it was not being laid back or being relaxed with guests.

There are no words. If you love tiki, this is the place. It was overwhelming and beautiful and delicious and historical and cool and everything I wanted it to be. The drinks were delicious. That’s the first thing. The tiki-ness, the vibe, the tilt, whatever you call it, was outstanding. I took 9 friends who had no idea what they were in for, and they were all blown away. I was like a kid at Disneyland. It was a dream come true. If you ever, EVER have the chance to go, don’t miss this classic tiki wonderland. It dos not disappoint.

I was there last night. It was, simply, the best tiki experience I've ever had. The drinks, food, decor... and the Polynesian show! I wish I would have been there earlier to get a better seat- I was way in the back on the side. :( But, from what I could see and hear, it was amazing. The musicians are especially tight, and clearly highly proficient at this art form. It was like walking back in time with the wait staff having different tiers, and Captains in white suits directing the traffic. My new goal? To be there with three others, so I can order the Mystery Drink...

Growing up in Ft Lauderdale we were fortunate enough to spend many drunken nights in the Molokai Bar when they were doing two for one drinks during happy hour. Thankfully they changed it to half off drinks so you can get a different cocktail each round which allows you to better explore the vast menu. The 151 Swizzle, Jet Pilot and Rum Barrel are among my favorites. And the pupu's. Oh the pupu's.

Living in Texas for the past 10 years we've made a point to "visit family" in Lauderdale once or twice a year, but really we only return to spend time at the Mai Kai. In 2015 we got married there, out in the gardens and had an amazing reception in the Tahiti Room which included a private show from three of the floor show dancers. Greatest day ever.

WOW!!! I schedule a visit here each year now and fly out of the way to get here! It's TOTALLY worth it!!! You'll feel like a kid a Christmas or like the first time you went to Disney as a kid. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

The Mai Kai, it's not just the best tiki bar, it's the best restuarant I've visited. The service there is top notch, I always feel welcome and the staff is amazing. The drinks are the best I've tasted in my life, and the food there is excellent. If you don't want to sit and watch the show you can just go to the Molokai Lounge. The service there is just as good and their sushi is amazing as well. The garden, tiki's and decor are phenomenal. Words don't do it justice. I've been there three times but I'll definitely go back many times.

The mothership of all Tiki bars, the great Mai Kai. The decor is spot on, the food was good and the drinks spectacular. The luau show was very entertaining and we had a great time. The best part of the evening for me though was the walk through the gardens at the end of the evening. Very magical and filled with wonderful tikis, water features and like being transported to the islands. Loved every minute of our evening there and will definitely go back.

An amazing experience. Great tiki. Great drinks. Great service.
This is "the" place. When I have business in Miami, I fly into FLL just to start and end my trip at the Mai Kai. It's not close to airport, but close enough.
If you like or love tiki, you must go to Mai Kai.

I thought this was a bit of a disappointment. The table we were seated at was wobbly. Not because it was off, but because the floor was very far out of level. The place looked and felt like it needed to be deep-cleaned.

Food and drinks were above average, but just. Granted, were haven't been there in several years, but I'm not convinced we'll go back, either.

Love Love Love this place. I have visit this place many many times. I grew up in Ft Lauderdale and use to go to the Mai Kai all the time for happy Hour and dinner. Went for a visit last year and still as beautiful as I remembered it

Basically perfect. This is the first tiki bar I ever went to - went with other counselors during a summer camp. I was 21, it was amazing. The decor, the darkness, the size, the gardens out back... just unreal.

Whenever I need a mini vacation from life-I go to the Mai Kai. As a S Fla resident-I have the luxury of being able to just pop down to Ft Lauderdale for the weekend & make the Mai Kai the center of my lost weekend. It is like coming home. From the décor to the staff, the drinks & the food all work to transport you to a south seas paradise. Be sure to go to the gardens before you leave-you won't be disappointed.

Words cannot do justice to this total delight to all the senses. Drop whatever travel plans you have right now and book a flight...it's the experience of a lifetime for people of all ages. The Mai-Kai has been impressing customers since 1954, and there's a reason they've been around for over five decades.

Simply put, the single best tiki experience left on earth. From the bar, to the gardens, show and environment. Nothing around the globe competes. I would highly recommend the Hot Buttered Rum.....No review will explain it, so just book a flight and go

Quit reading this blog and book your trip to Ft Lauderdale and the Mai Kai. Dave, the present owner, is working on upgrading the rums in his drinks but many of the old rums from the 60s are harder and harder to find. As a sailor, I appreciate the authenticity of the bar, you'll think you are in an old square rigged ship even before your first drink.

We finally had the chance to visit, and it was everything we had hoped for. The décor is outstanding, with a great deal of variety between the Molokai Bar (which resembles the captain's quarters on an old whaling ship), the dining rooms (with traditional Polynesian touches and a large aquarium) and the lovely garden (with waterfalls, tropical plants and plenty of tikis). The drinks are good, traditional and strong, but not quite on a level with craft cocktail places like Frankie's Tiki Room and Three Dots and a Dash. The food is decent but pricey and nothing special. One comes to Mai-Kai for the atmosphere and the show; the food is just there to help soak up the rum.

I had another wonderful experience at the Mai Kai during this year's Hukilau! Well, to be honest, I did spend most of my time in Molokai Bar working my way through the menu... again. Still, it is a most pleasurable time-warp for any Tiki/cocktail enthusiast.

Believe it or not, I lived in South Florida for almost two years before I even knew the Mai Kai existed (I know, I know). Once I found it, my fear was that it would close before I got to see it. Not a chance. Going to the Mai Kai is like stepping back in time 50 years, and people seem to love that, because the place is always packed. They actually ran out of parking during the Hukilau!

Although the grounds and the inside of the Mai Kai are still very much like they were in the 50s, the area around it has built up from empty fields to urban sprawl. I would have loved to have seen years ago when it sat by itself on that stretch of US 1. Now Furniture stores, a mall, two strip clubs (upscale ones) and several other restaurants surround it. But none of that takes away from the charm and allure of this fantastic Tiki escape.

As a Southern California native, my first visit was long-anticipated - Ft. Lauderdale is a bit of hike from my neck of the woods. Mai Kai certainly did not disappoint. It truly was a wonderful experience. It would require pages to tell all that makes this place so very special. Here, though, churlishly, are a couple of niggling criticisms. Our waitress worked very hard at "up-selling" us on the most expensive menu items, on unwanted bottles of wine, and on unwanted desserts and after-dinner drinks. Yes, all restaurants do this and I often appreciate the useful advice. However, this had quite a strong element of hard-sell and a bit too much persistence to it, along with a perceptible edge of what seemed to us like coldness, disdain, or disappointment shown by our otherwise attentive, if not overly-friendly server in response to our polite no-thank-you’s. The food portions, too, could have been larger for the price - everyone in our party of six, which included seniors with small appetites, felt this way independently. However, the food was absolutely delicious - and if slightly higher prices and somewhat small portions really are necessary in order to keep this grand dame profitably in business then I'm more than happy to submit to them. Oh, just to let you know - if you valet park and elect to attend the floor show (it's optional and an absolute bargain at only $10.95 per person) except to wait 20 or more minutes for your car (everyone in the showroom will leave at the same time). On the other hand, those waiting curbside along with you will be in a good mood and it's a great opportunity to chat with your fellow tikiophiles. Best advice I can give you with respect to the Mai Kai? Go, by all means!

Hurricane Hayward is a regular at Mai-Kai, and is usually there Several blissful times a month.

June 3, 2009, 2:35 AM

The recent renovations should elevate the Mai-Kai to "perfect 10" status. The epic facelift includes: newly rebuilt wood-planked bridge and thatched canopy entrance; new front entrance doors; completely renovated Molokai Bar; new thatch, bamboo and tapas throughout the entire restaurant; refurbished tables plus all new chairs and stools; rebuilt outdoor dining area; hundreds of new plantings, renovated waterfalls and new Tiki torches. To top it off, the new Web site finally captures the spirit and majesty of this unique landmark: http://maikai.com

This is one of the greatest Tikis left in the country. The authentic design and decor, but even more fabulous drinks, great food, two bars, and a dinner show. This is why people in the 40's, 50's and 60's were so high on the tiki experience. This is the place you hold up to compare all the rest too. Recently saved from the wrecking ball, experience it as often as you can!